Algerians in Europe 2007-2008

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Kerkar rejects St Johnstone move

September 15, 2007 -- Free agent Karim Kerkar has started a trial period at St Mirren and is hopeful he will secure a move to Paisley.

The 30-year-old is looking for a club after having played for Manchester City and Dundee in recent seasons.

After having expressed his intention to return to France, where he played for Gueugnon and Le Havre, the Algeria international was contacted by St Mirren who asked him to take part to a friendly game against Premier League side Derby County.

Saints directors have decided to keep him at training for a few more days after being impressed by his performance against Billy Davis’ side.

Gus MacPherson’s team are currently lying seventh in the Scottish Premier League

Saint Mirren trial for Algeria ace

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September 18, 2007 -- The coach of Scottish Premier League side St Mirren has expressed his disappointment after Algerian Karim Kerkar pulled out of a move to the club.

Gus MacPherson had offered a contact to the 30-year-old midfielder, and says that Kerkar gave his word that he would sign.

"Karim Kerkar agreed a deal with us on Friday but come the following day he had a change of heart," MacPherson told www.saintmirren.net.

"The player has been left knowing in no uncertain terms just exactly what our feelings are in regards to this U-turn.

"The frustrating part is that he had agreed on everything and was coming into the club on Saturday to sign the deal but he didn't show up."

Kerkar is a free agent, and his reasons for backing out of the move are not clear.

"He came, he looked, he played, impressed, agreed a deal, then had a change of heart which only he can explain," said MacPherson.

Kerkar, who has seven caps for the Desert Foxes, had been in the UAE with Al-Wadha.

He has played for Scottish clubs Dundee United and Clyde.

Algeria's Kerkar disappoints St Mirren

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FC Sochaux-Montbéliard 0 - 2 Panionios NFC

September 20, 2007 -- The struggling Ligue 1 side, who have yet to win this season, continued their poor start to the campaign with a defeat to the side sitting ninth in the Greek top-flight. Panionios's first goal came from Algerian AJ Auxerre academy product Rafik Djebbour with a strike that deflected past goalkeeper Teddy Richert. While Sochaux tried to level, Dario Fernandez doubled the margin just before the hour mark, scoring from a corner kick. The result was especially sweet for Panionios, having lost at Sochaux in the UEFA Cup group stage in December 2005.

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Fulham 3 Manchester City 3

September 22, 2007 -- Fulham drew 3-3 at home for the second game running after playing out a thrilling 90 minutes with Manchester City.

The Cottagers were pegged back twice by the visitors, who edged themselves in front after Martin Petrov scored the second of his two goals.

But a well-worked strike by substitute Danny Murphy salvaged a well-earned point for Fulham in a breathless exhibition of the Premier League at its best and worst.

Fulham went ahead after barely ten minutes of play when Welsh midfielder Simon Davies, not known for his aerial presence, glanced a header past Kasper Schmeichel in the City goal.

The Fulham winger capped a flowing counter-attack from the home side that saw Hameur Bouazza deliver a measured cross after breaking from his own half.

Moments later though the Algerian was guilty of squandering a golden opportunity when he failed to square the ball to David Healy with the Northern Irishman poised to double Fulham's lead.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side punished their opponents ten minutes before half-time when Petrov, a £6 million summer signing from Atletico Madrid, flummoxed Chris Baird and clipped a shot past the despairing left arm of Antti Niemi after cutting inside from the flank.

After the restart Bouazza atoned for his earlier selfishness by scoring his first-ever Fulham goal with a startling free-kick.

His set piece fizzed past young Dane Schmeichel from 20 yards out, sparking wild celebrations around Craven Cottage, but the mood was cut short by City's second equaliser minutes later.

Finland's Niemi could have again done better after spilling Stephen Ireland's low shot, with Emile Mpenza the main beneficiary as the 29-year-old striker stole in to nod the ball into the Fulham goal.

Things got worse for the Cottagers when goal-hungry Petrov got his second of the game on the hour mark.

After getting the ball back from Brazilian playmaker Elano the Bulgarian international powered an angled drive past between Niemi and the keeper's near post.

Lawrie Sanchez had one or two cavalier tricks left up his sleeve however, with midfielder Murphy and forward Seol Ki-hyeon coming on for the home side.

The two substitutes combined beautifully within moments to prove Sanchez's substitution as inspired.

Murphy got Fulham back on level terms after drilling a knockdown from his South Korean team-mate past Schmeichel with 15 minutes to go.

Dietmar Hamann was then booked for a scything challenge on the former Reading forward after the lumbering German was comprehensively outfoxed by Seol.

A double save from Schmeichel in the dying minutes from Russian enforcer Alexey Smertin denied Fulham the three points, with referee Mark Halsey drawing a thrilling match to a close in the seventh minute of injury time.

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October 2, 2007 -- Lincoln City have signed Nottingham Forest central defender Hamza Bencherif on a month's loan.

Bencherif, 19, is in his second season at the City Ground but has not yet made an appearance for the first-team.

The Algerian Under-20 player, who was previously with EA Guingamp in France, is a regular in Forest's reserves.

Meanwhile Nottingham Forest striker Emile Sinclair, 19, has been given a new two-year contract after forcing his way into the first-team squad.

Lincoln sign Forest's Bencherif

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October 8, 2007.....Ismael Bouzid scored his first goal for Turkish club Galatasaray in its 5-1 return match victory over Switzerland's Sion. The Turkish club moved to the tournament's group phase after a 3-2 loss in the first match against Sion.

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October 9, 2007 -- Algerian international midfielder Karim Ziani, who signed a one-year contract with Olympique de Marseille in the summer, is being tracked by Premiership clubs Portsmouth and the Bolton Wanderers, Goal.com reports. Ziani’s performance during the French team's two recent victories over Turkey’s Besiktas and England's Liverpool in the Champions League has triggered the interest of the two English clubs. In Algeria, Ziani is three-time winner of the DZFoot d'Or and was awarded the country's Ballon d’Or in 2006 and 2007. In France, he was named top player in League 2 for his 2005-2006 season with FC Lorient and won the 2007 Coupe de France with FC Sochaux-Montbéliard.

Algeria’s Ziani sought by English clubs